Cebu

 

 

This week we are in Cebu City (an additional assignment from the Area President). It is a large metropolitan city. It has a very large shopping mall, even larger than any we have in Tucson. There is still much poverty within the city, but we are staying in a very westernized modern hotel and from the inside we can hardly tell we are still in the Philippines. We have met many of the leaders here and will meet several more before we travel back to Bacolod Saturday afternoon. We were so blessed to attend the temple this morning and I had one of the most spiritual experiences of my life there. It was actually a combination of experiences which left me in spiritual tears sitting in the celestial room after the session.

 

We arrived at the temple complex about 8:00am for the 9:00 am session. We discovered that here in Cebu temple it is often difficult to find married couples to be the witness couple so we were asked to serve in that position. While waiting for the session we were alone in the ordinance room for quite a long time allowing me to spend quite awhile visiting with my Heavenly Father regarding some concerns and desires for those we love, both at home and here in the Philippines. There was such a sweet spirit in the room.

 

When it came time for the prayer circle there were only three couples including Dan and myself, and all most every sister wanted to volunteer to be in the circle.  I cannot describe how it felt to be in the circle during the request for blessings for the missionaries, "including the lovely couple within our circle".  I have never felt so humbled and blessed as I felt to be standing there with tears in my tears. It is incredible to feel so much love and admiration as we do here as missionaries.  If only they knew in the U.S. we are second class members because we are "divorced" and "no failure can compensate for failure in the home". 

 

On a side note, when we first arrived at the temple complex we were so impressed with the complex.  Within the property is the stake center, the temple, the temple president's home, the mission president's home and a very large building which houses a patron guest sleeping rooms, the apartments of the temple missionaries, and the mission offices, the laundry and cafeteria.  For a small moment once you enter the grounds you feel like you are in the United States on the temple grounds.  There is not poverty, trash, traffic, and worldly influences.  I was almost jealous of those temple missionaries who live and work there on the temple grounds and never have to leave there except to go to the grocery store, and if they eat in the cafeteria they would not even have to do that.  That is the next mission, if I can get enough courage to go again and leave my family.  This has been the most difficult, yet most rewarding experience of my life.  I marvel at the couples who can barely walk yet are here serving in this difficult country.